The “false-positive PCR” problem is not a problem

If you haven’t seen all the chatter that states PCRs using more than thirty-something (someone even suggested 25 to me!) cycles will suffer from false positives and so is useless, Read More ...

Sigh, yes, the ‘COVID virus’ is real

There has been talk out thar in the wildlands of Twitter from people who don’t believe the evidence that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is real. Has Read More ...

More testing shows more iceberg

COVID-19 case numbers are rising quickly in many parts of the northern hemisphere. Already some totals have outstripped the peaks seen in the first wave of the pandemic. Europe and Read More ...

The “false-positive PCR” problem is not a problem

Posted onNovember 22, 2020November 22, 2020Leave a comment

If you haven’t seen all the chatter that states PCRs using more than thirty-something (someone even suggested 25 to me!) cycles will suffer from false positives and so is useless, Read More …

More testing shows more iceberg

Posted onOctober 29, 2020November 3, 2020Leave a comment

COVID-19 case numbers are rising quickly in many parts of the northern hemisphere. Already some totals have outstripped the peaks seen in the first wave of the pandemic. Europe and Read More …

Sigh, yes, the ‘COVID virus’ is real

Posted onOctober 6, 2020November 3, 20207 Comments

There has been talk out thar in the wildlands of Twitter from people who don’t believe the evidence that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is real. Has Read More …

Yes, PCR tests can detect “the COVID virus”

Posted onAugust 4, 2020September 14, 2020102 Comments

I was asked to write some comments for a fact check article about some of the myths going around about PCR-based testing and whether PCR tests can detect “the COVID Read More …

And another thing…on false positives

Posted onJune 29, 2020June 29, 202021 Comments

Sometimes the full story can’t fit into a media article. A lot of words can be said during an interview with a journalist but sometimes it’s just really hard to Read More …

Rhinovirus rampant or testing triumphant?

Posted onJune 27, 2020September 14, 202017 Comments

Turns out, this physical distancing thing actually works as advertised. Who would have thought that keeping the things viruses need for their survival – hosts full of cells – far Read More …

We don’t yet know the origin story for SARS-CoV-2

Posted onMay 4, 2020May 4, 202025 Comments

By Katherine E Arden, PhD & Ian M Mackay, PhD The existence of a coronavirus related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) was first hinted at by a researcher Read More …

Kits and reagents and viruses

Posted onApril 12, 2020October 30, 202012 Comments

The COVID-19 pandemic has driven use of the words “kit” and “reagent”. I completely feel for you if you still have no real idea of what is meant by these Read More …

COVID-19 cases slow a little in Australia

Posted onMarch 27, 2020March 28, 202014 Comments

Our borders have been shut to non-citizens for about a week and despite being regularly admonished for being terrible at obeying confusing, constantly changing or poorly communicated new rules, the Read More …

COVID-19 is not a virus, but SARS-CoV-2 is

Posted onMarch 21, 2020March 23, 202049 Comments

For about two weeks we lived with, published using, and talked about, a disease-causing virus called the “novel coronavirus”. That name was always going to create problems like, what do Read More …

Virology Down Under

Facts, data, info, expert opinion and a reasonable, occasionally grumpy, voice on viruses: what they are, how they tick and the illnesses they may cause.

Latest posts...

The “false-positive PCR” problem is not a problem

Sigh, yes, the ‘COVID virus’ is real

More testing shows more iceberg

The “false-positive PCR” problem is not a problem

More testing shows more iceberg

Sigh, yes, the ‘COVID virus’ is real

Yes, PCR tests can detect “the COVID virus”

And another thing…on false positives

Rhinovirus rampant or testing triumphant?

We don’t yet know the origin story for SARS-CoV-2

Kits and reagents and viruses

COVID-19 cases slow a little in Australia

COVID-19 is not a virus, but SARS-CoV-2 is